Specificity. We talk a lot about doing training specific to the target race, and it occurs to me that some of that would benefit from using the course itself, or a simulation of the course if you don’t live nearby.
I’ve used both Rouvy and FulGaz to do a non-race pace ride of Ironman courses, and to virtual Ironman events, and there’s no doubt in my mind there are benefits from that, at least;
Knowing the course before the real race
A relevant estimate of what efforts produce what results
Pacing practice
So, could TR acquire the routes of say, popular Gran Fondos and design three or four workouts from them into the speciality phase of a training plan?
I can see the value of virtually riding a course in a platform with landscape rendering and gradient simulation. Would there really be much value doing it in TR though with no gradients and no visuals other than a bunch of blue blocks?
Also, Wahoo headunit has feature to follow indoor workout using planned route. Haven’t delved into it but it would make sense it changes resistance according to elevation
I think the workout would also change depending upon the athlete’s ability, such as a crit course with a divisive hill, that would produce a higher or longer block over threshold for a rider with a lower p/w.
FWIW I whacked this into Workout Creator for a race that I did once before & may possibly do again in a few years’ time. Very little over threshold because I’m not racing for the win.
It DOES indeed work well on the Wahoo units (I have a ROAM and have used the feature a few times). There is one caveat though in which it would differ from the likes of FulGaz, etc.
If your expectation is take a mini break on downhills or negative gradients and stop pedaling like you can IRL or on virtual platforms you will be sadly disappointed as the ride WILL pause. To keep the ride moving, you have to keep pedaling, though the resistance will obviously be less on the negative gradients so that in itself can be enough of a break for many.
